Access Granted!

Whose visa was approved? This girl's!

Once the consulate opened my app (about a week long wait), it took one business day to approve and one day to ship back to me. Well done British Consulate. Your efficiency pleases me...

All that remains is:
1) Buy some extreme luggage.
2) Fill them. Fill them to the brim!

Countdown: 12 days left! How did this happen?!

Applying for a UK Visa? Oh the horrors!

I finally sent out (wait for it... it's quite a mouthful): my UK Tier 4 general student visa application. Phew. For any curious pre-vet students, here are the details. Truth be told, it was an extremely stressful and expensive process (about $500!).

There were three main parts.
Part 1: the Personal Details section which is submitted online and again on paper. This section was extremely long and tedious.
Part 2: Appendix 8 was a lengthy selection of questions that I used a school guide to complete. This part was submitted on paper only. It was also tedious but had highly specific questions you had to pay close attention to. If I understand correctly, coming from the USA, I don't need to submit certain documents (a CAS, receipts, and loan letters from the school specifically). I hope I'm right on this...
Part 3: Biometrics was a painless 5 minute appointment for fingerprint scans and a quick picture. The easiest part by far.

I sent my app out using "USPS next day shipping" along with my driver's record and passport. The sooner I get my visa (hopefully approved) and passport back the better. Try as I might, I can't help but worry that I might have misread something or that it was sent out too late. Hopefully not, right?! Well I'll post the verdict as soon as it comes. Wish me luck!

P.S. Only 3 weeks left! 3 weeks!!!

Graduation and Beyond!

While this is somewhat unrelated to vet school, I feel this is worth raving about. Last Sunday night, after 5 years of hard work and one last stressful week of finals, I finally graduated! I have been awarded my Bachelors degree in Animal Science with honors. 

I must say I did not think I would enjoy the graduation ceremony. A couple of hours sitting around listening to teachers, administration, and students giving cliched speeches, cameras capturing your most awkward moments (thanks again dad), magnificently corny music, you get the idea. I am happy to admit that I was wrong. I was selected to lead the student procession while carrying the school banner. I also presented the class gift to the school president and gave a little speech myself. I worried that I would trip and skewer some poor parent with the huge pointy banner, or that I would somehow mess up my speech in front of everyone I knew. Well? I did not trip and I managed to "speak with conviction" according to a beloved professor. My classmates, friends, and family cheered me on, and in my siblings' case, shot me funny looks hoping I would break character on stage (you monsters!!!). I am v. proud and excited to be moving forward towards the next big step in my life! Congrats to all of my classmates and thank you to everyone that supported us every step of the way.

 *That's me in the middle!

So what does this all mean? I am now only 4 weeks away from living in Scotland! I just need to finish up my Visa and pack. I got this.

A quick side note: my little sister also graduated last week as her High School's Salutatorian. In addition to being gorgeous, mischievous, and brilliant, my little partner in crime has blown us all away by earning a full ride scholarship to a phenomenal private school in Northern California. Congratulations to my wonderful sister. I love you and could not be more proud.  

Insert yet another victory dance for my sister and I: